How to Write a Good Query

In legal practice, clarity is everything and the same applies when working with AI. In Anycase.ai, a query is the instruction you give to the AI search engine. The more precise your query, the more accurate and useful the result.

This guide will help you write effective queries so you can get the most out of Anycase.ai.

Why Your Queries Matter

Think of a query like briefing a legal researcher: if you only say ❌ “research corporations,” you’ll get something too broad. But if you specify ✅ “Explain the Right to Inspection of Stockholders and Members under the Revised Corporation Code,” you’ll get focused, actionable insights.

Principles of a Good Query

1. Be Clear and Specific

Vague queries produce broad, unhelpful results, so use precise legal concepts to get focused answers.

• ❌ Ok: “Find cases about labor.”
• ✅ Better: “Find labor cases on the topic Quantum of Evidence in Administrative/Labor Cases.” (try this query)

2. Add Context Where Needed

Including details like a specific law (e.g., "under the Revised Corporation Code") helps the AI provide more relevant and targeted information.

• ❌ Ok: “Explain the right of inspection.”
• ✅ Better: “Explain the Right to Inspection of Stockholders and Members under the Revised Corporation Code.” (try this query)

3. Define the Output You Want

Clearly state the format you need, such as a "draft," "digest," or "explanation," to guide the AI in generating the correct type of response.

• ❌ Ok: “Information about B.P. 22.”
• ✅ Better: “Draft a judicial affidavit for a witness in a B.P. 22 case.” (try this query)

4. Structure Complex Queries

For multi-part requests, break down what you need by specifying the components to include, such as the facts, issue, ruling, and doctrine for a case digest.

• ❌ Ok: “Tell me about GSIS Family Bank v. BPI Family Bank and corporate name issue”
• ✅ Better: Make a digest of GSIS Family Bank v. BPI Family Bank focusing on the issue of corporate name. Include facts, issue, ruling, and doctrine. (try this query)

5. Refine and Iterate

If your initial results are too broad, narrow your query with more specific details like case types, courts, or date ranges to improve accuracy.

• ❌ Ok: Sticking with a broad query like "Find cases on negligence" even when the results are not relevant.
• ✅ Better: After getting broad results, refining the query to "Find Supreme Court cases from 2020-2023 on medical negligence involving surgical errors." (try this query)

6. (Optional) Use a Role or Format Instruction

You can guide the AI's tone and output style by telling it to "act as a corporate lawyer" or to present information in "bullet points".

• ❌ Ok: “What is piercing the corporate veil?”
• ✅ Better: “Act as a corporate lawyer and explain the concept of piercing the corporate veil in bullet points.” (try this query)

Examples in the App

• Find: “Find Hocheng Philippines Corporation v. Farrales, G.R. No. 211497 (2015).”

• Explain: “Explain the Right to Inspection of Stockholders and Members under the Revised Corporation Code.”

• Draft: “Draft a judicial affidavit for a respondent to an unintentional abortion case.”

• Digest: “Make a digest of GSIS Family Bank v. BPI Family Bank focusing on the issue of corporate name.”

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• ❌ Being too vague → “Explain contracts.”
• ✅ Instead: “Explain the essential elements of a contract under Philippine law with examples.”

• ❌ Overloading one query with too many tasks → “Review this brief, draft a memo, and translate it.”
• ✅ Instead: Split into separate, focused queries.

• ❌ What is self-defense?
• ✅ Explain the elements of self-defense under the Revised Penal Code, citing examples from jurisprudence.

Key Takeaways

1. Clear queries = precise results.
2. Always include jurisdiction, case numbers, or legal concepts when possible.
3. Specify the exact output format you want (digest, draft, explanation, etc.).
4. Break down large tasks into clear steps.
5. Refine the query if the first result isn’t right.

Updated on: 17/09/2025